Sweeney Todd As A Literary Classic
Revealing Sweeney Todd:
Exploring a 19th Century Penny Dreadful as a Literary Classic
In 2013 the mention of the character Sweeney Todd conjures up images of Johnny Depp dressed in dramatic makeup and singing in a high budget film production; however, today’s audiences may not be aware of the villain’s extensive history in English literature and the numerous transformations that took place before the creation of the musical monster. From its origin as a serialized Penny Dreadful to an elaborated text and eventual stage play, the infamous barber Sweeney Todd has become a well- known literary character. Sweeney Todd first appeared in the Penny Dreadful titled “A String of Pearls. A romance” published anonymously in 1846/1847. The first work was subject only to negative criticisms as a cheaply written tale for the lower …show more content…
Penny Dreadfuls and Other Victorian Horrors. London: Jupiter Books, 1977.
Davison, Carol. Gothic Literature 1764-1824. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 2009.
Dunae, P. "Penny Dreadfuls- Late 19th Century Boys Literature and Crime." Victorian Studies (1979): 133-150. Online.
Elizabeth James, Helen Smith. Penny Dreadfuls and Boy 's Adventures: The Barry Ono Collection of Victorian Popular Literature in the British Library. London: The British Library Board, 1998.
Hand, Richard. "The Wonderful and Suprising History of Sweeney Todd: The Life and Times of an Urban Legend." Gothic Studies (2009): 139. online.
Jackson, Lorne. "Real truth behind demon barber of Fleet Street ; books ANONYMOUS Sweeney Todd or The String Of Pearls." Sunday Mercury 20 January 2008: 2. online.
Lloyd, Edward. The String of Pearls. A Romance. London: E Lloyd, 1846. online.
Mack, Roobert L. The Wonderful and Suprising History of Sweeney Todd: The Life and Times of an Urban Legend. London: Continuum, 2007.
Weltman, Sharon. "Introduction: George Dibdin Pitt 's 1847 Sweeney Todd." Nineteenth Century Theatre and Film (2011): 1.
Exploring a 19th Century Penny Dreadful as a Literary Classic
In 2013 the mention of the character Sweeney Todd conjures up images of Johnny Depp dressed in dramatic makeup and singing in a high budget film production; however, today’s audiences may not be aware of the villain’s extensive history in English literature and the numerous transformations that took place before the creation of the musical monster. From its origin as a serialized Penny Dreadful to an elaborated text and eventual stage play, the infamous barber Sweeney Todd has become a well- known literary character. Sweeney Todd first appeared in the Penny Dreadful titled “A String of Pearls. A romance” published anonymously in 1846/1847. The first work was subject only to negative criticisms as a cheaply written tale for the lower …show more content…
Penny Dreadfuls and Other Victorian Horrors. London: Jupiter Books, 1977.
Davison, Carol. Gothic Literature 1764-1824. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 2009.
Dunae, P. "Penny Dreadfuls- Late 19th Century Boys Literature and Crime." Victorian Studies (1979): 133-150. Online.
Elizabeth James, Helen Smith. Penny Dreadfuls and Boy 's Adventures: The Barry Ono Collection of Victorian Popular Literature in the British Library. London: The British Library Board, 1998.
Hand, Richard. "The Wonderful and Suprising History of Sweeney Todd: The Life and Times of an Urban Legend." Gothic Studies (2009): 139. online.
Jackson, Lorne. "Real truth behind demon barber of Fleet Street ; books ANONYMOUS Sweeney Todd or The String Of Pearls." Sunday Mercury 20 January 2008: 2. online.
Lloyd, Edward. The String of Pearls. A Romance. London: E Lloyd, 1846. online.
Mack, Roobert L. The Wonderful and Suprising History of Sweeney Todd: The Life and Times of an Urban Legend. London: Continuum, 2007.
Weltman, Sharon. "Introduction: George Dibdin Pitt 's 1847 Sweeney Todd." Nineteenth Century Theatre and Film (2011): 1.